| Morel Madness |
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| Written by CanoeGuru | |
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Spring has reached the heartland at last. Dandelions are sprouting, robins dot the lawns, and morel hunters are gawking at every patch of trees, no matter how small. That's right, even before the elusive fungi are anywhere near appearing, morel mushroom hunters are rubbernecking the roadsides, slowing down traffic, and generally raising eyebrows as they diligently scope out any likely looking wooded area for potential hotspots for morel growth. Morel mushrooms, with their distinctive, brain-like appearance, should start showing up by around April 20th or 21st in southeast Nebraska this year. Watch for a week or so of temperatures in the mid 50s or above. When that happens, it's time to hit the woods. Morels are found in forested areas, often around standing (recently dead) trees. Many morel hunters have hard and fast rules for where morels can be found, but it's a classic case of "ask six different people, get seven different opinions." Some swear they're only found on south slopes or in old orchards. Others only find them on north slopes in sunny clearings. The truth is, morels will grow wherever they feel the need, and no one has yet come up with any hard and fast science to predict exactly where the "mother lode" will appear in a given year.In general, look in any area with lots of trees and a good ground cover of leaf litter (last year's dead leaves). Look around the base of standing dead trees, like elm and ash trees. Carry a walking stick and turn over leaves as you go, scanning the ground. Spotting a morel can be difficult at first, until you've trained your eyes. Many people looking for morels spot the empty, reddish brown corn cobs dragged into the woods by squirrels and raccoons, as the pits in the cob are not unlike the pits on the mushrooms they're so diligently watching for. Morels can be found in the open amongst the leaves, or even buried under leaves. But how do you recognize a morel when you see one? Look for a generally cone-shaped, deeply pitted cap with wavy ridges. The earliest version to appear are known as "black" morels. They have tan or brown pits and dark brown or black ridges. After these come the "yellow" morels. These are the most common variety. They're much paler than the black morels, and have very irregular pits and ridges. A third variety, called the "half cap," appears in between and its timing can overlap with the blacks and yellows. You may also hear seasoned morel hunters refer to "grays," "whites," and even "reds" when talking about morels. Grays and whites generally refer to various stages of growth of the yellow morels. If you hear someone talking about picking "reds," use caution. No true morel is actually red. In fact, the gyomitra autumnalis, sometimes mistaken for a morel, even though it really looks almost nothing like one, is one of the most poisonous mushrooms on the planet. If it's red, leave it alone! The appearance of a morel is pretty distinctive, as they don't look much like any other mushroom out there. There are mushrooms known as "false morels," however. The closest in appearance to the true morel is the verpa. To make sure you've got a true morel, use a sharp knife to cut the mushroom in half lengthwise, from the tip of the cap down through the stem. A true morel will be completely hollow, whereas a false morel will have a white, cottony substance inside. If it has that cottony substance inside, it's a false morel and is poisonous if eaten. When you decide to look for morels, there are a few things you should take with you, and a few safety concerns you should address. First, remember that morel season is also turkey hunting season. Tom turkeys' heads are red and blue, so avoid wearing these colors when hunting morels. Hunter orange isn't a bad idea, although most morel hunters prefer to be less noticeable so as not to give away their "sweet spots" for finding the mushrooms. In addition to turkey hunters, morel hunters need to be wary of mosquitoes, ticks, and poison ivy. Wear plenty of bug repellent and tuck your pant legs into your socks to prevent ticks from gaining easy access. Carry a walking stick to turn over leaves and logs. Wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt to protect your skin from thorns and brambles, and wear a cap with a stiff brim to protect your eyes. Many a morel hunter has had his hunt cut short by a branch in his eye while he stared at the ground while walking through the woods. It's also a good idea to carry a water bottle so you stay hydrated. You'll need a sharp folding knife to cut the morels off at the stem. They can be pinched off, but cutting them keeps them cleaner, which makes for less washing and rinsing when you get home. Never carry your harvested morels in a plastic bag. Use a mesh bag, which many people believe allows the morels to continue releasing their spores as you walk, or a paper bag or plastic bucket. The idea is to allow the morels to breathe, which they can't do in a hot plastic bag. |